Warlordism Major problem in Afghanistan: DCM Sadiq

WASHINGTON, May 25 (APP)- The Deputy Chief of the Mission (DCM), Pakistan Embassy, Tuesday said in Afghanistan, warlordism is a major problem.

Mr. Mohammad Sadiq said this while delivering a talk as the keynote speaker on 'International Cooperation in Combatting Terrorism: Pakistan's Perspectives,' held under the auspices of the prestigious Potomic Institute for Policy Studies.

He said, Pakistan supports Karzai-government, and hoped the international community continues to assist Afghanistan economically.

"In Afghanistan, warlordism is a major problem. The people of Afghanistan had welcomed Taliban solely because they could not stand before the excesses of the warlords."

Unfortunately, Mr. Sadiq stated: "the warlords are very strong in Afghanistan, once again."

The other problem in Afghanistan which worries Pakistan, he stated: "is the poppy cultivation and production of narcotics." It threatens Pakistan's security, being a neighbouring state.

Pakistan believes that a stable and preaceful Afghanistan will need ethnically balanced Afghan government.

"No ethnic group in Afghanistan should feel oppressed or left out from the process of being part of the government."

He said: "We believe that President Karzai is providing leadership that could ultimately represent and satisfy all ethnic groups."

He urged the world community to support Afghanistan.

About the problem of terrorism and extremism, he said it traces back to the era of occupation of Afghanistan by former Soviet forces, which led Western world to gather people of a certain ideology into Afghanistan to fight the occupation of Kabul.

"With the defeat of the former Soviet Union and withdrawal of these elements which were invited to Afghanistan and Pakistan, were not brought into the mainstream again. They were left there with their training, weapons and organizational resources."

He said, Afghanistan was devastated and had no way to control those forces. He lamented that the world walked away from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"This neflect led to tragedy of 9/11, which reinforced Pakistan's view that the international community should remain engaged in Afghanistan," he added.

There was a lively question-answer session, and large number questions were asked pertaining to reality of new Indian government and its affects on Pakistan-India dialogue, Kashmir dispute, A Q khan affairs, Pakistan's position vis-a-vis contributing troops to operate
in Iraq.

President and chairman of the board of the institute, Michael Swetnam, earlier introduced the keynote speaker, and appreciated the talk, and said a series of talks needs to be held on the subject.

The operning remarks were made by Yonah Alexander, director of the Institute.

The discussion program was attended by a large number of participants, which included U.S. officials, journalists, diplomats, think tanks and academia.